He said: “It was always going to be peaceful. One or two inappropriate or wrong actions by a small minority doesn’t not reflect the good nature, the good craic, the good fun of the protestors.

“The attempts to smear the campaign is just mad politics by a mad Government.”

(Image: Collins)

Demonstrators carried posters including one branding a headstone with the Labour Party on it and another called for Enda Kenny to he was leaving people homeless and cold.

Thousands travelled from across the country to send a loud message to the Government that they will not pay the levy.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar caused fury when he said it “bothered” him that people were protesting against charges that would cost them e3 a week.

He said: “I know it’s not politically correct but I do have to say it.

“The kind of things that I’m dealing with at the moment, things like Áras Attracta, the fact that there over 300 people on trollies this morning in our hospitals, the fact that there are 10 per cent of our population are still unemployed.

“You know, it really bothers me that people are out protesting about €3 a week in water charges. We have much bigger problems in our society.”

But Environment Minister Alan Kelly insisted nothing would change no matter how many people turn out.

He said: “We have to go down this route, There simply is no other route.

“I am quite content in relation to where we are at and where we will go. I am satisfied that this will be delivered.”

(Image: Collins)

He added: “I don’t envisage anything changing in relation to the package at all.”

Minister Kelly said he is not thinking about his or Labour’s political future with protestors vowing to kick this Government out.

He said: “I sleep on my pillow at night wanting to make sure I do the right thing. People who are cynical might not think that is true.

“I am quite content and happy about the package that has been put together... People get obsessed about elections all the time.

“There is too many of the people behind me – of the 166 TDs – who are continuously obsessed with elections. Elections happen, elections come and go. What will be will be.”

Protestors vowed to keep the fight up until the Government scraps the water charges and are planning a further demonstration on January 31.

Singer Glen Hansard was part of the crowd and said this was about more than water charges and the large numbers was down to a general “dissatisfaction” with the raft of levies forced upon them.

The Frames frontman said: “So far the Irish people have been very calm and there comes a point where it breaks. This is a really important gathering.

“It is very important for our nation. For so long you hear people talking in pubs or they talk here and there and they talk about the gradual, the turn screw ‘I would be happy to pay more for this that and the other’ and there is a certain point where you say no.

“It feels like if we are not there now, we are close.”

Glen Hansard & Damien Dempsey

He was joined by singer Damien Dempsey who urged the Government to put the vote to the people.

Dempsey said: “There is fire in the eyes of the Irish people again. We are getting our rebellious streak again. We have woken up.

“This is not only about water, this is about austerity.”

Among the people who protested Eanna O’Muiri who had walked from Ardee, Co Louth to Dublin.

It took him three days to get here stopping overnight in Drogheda, Co Louth and Ashbourne, Co Meath.

Mr O’Muiri said he is not from a political party but marched to the Dail to stand up for the people who couldn’t come.

Marian Neff, a protester from Cork, said the people had “sucked up everything” in the past six years.

She said: “We believed in this Government, they’ve turned around the country supposedly, but water is a basic need. This will continue until they come to their senses.”

Meanwhile, protesters vowed to continue until the charges are dropped as another demonstration has been earmarked for January 31.